This invention relates to a chair as typically used in offices and the like and, more specifically, to a chair having an improved back arrangement employing a back shell slidably supported on a pair of uprights projecting upwardly from adjacent opposite sides of the chair seat, and which employs manually-releasable latching mechanisms cooperating with each of the uprights to permit height adjustment of the back arrangement.
This invention also relates to a chair of the type typically used in offices and the like which, more specifically, incorporates an improved adjustment mechanism cooperating with the chair arms for permitting manual adjustment of the arms into one of several different selectable positions.
Chairs, and particularly office-type chairs, are conventionally provided with a height-adjustable back arrangement. Such arrangements are typically constructed from a significant number of different parts so that the resulting construction is complex and expensive to manufacture, and oftentimes bulky, so that the aesthetics of the back are impaired. Such back arrangements also frequently employ a height-adjusting mechanism positioned at least partially internally of the back arrangement, generally centrally thereof, and such mechanism further increases the structural complexity and spatial requirements of the back arrangement. The back height-adjusting mechanism is, in many instances, also disposed so that manual release thereof involves an actuator which is accessible solely from the back side of the chair, and as such the release actuator not only impairs the aesthetics of the chair back, but also is inconvenient to utilize since back height-adjustment can not be effected while the occupant remains seated in the chair.
Chairs, particularly those used in office or similar working environments, are also typically provided with arms disposed adjacent opposite sides of the seat, and such arms are frequently supported by appropriate adjustment mechanisms which permit the height and/or horizontal position of the arm to be selectively varied. While numerous mechanisms have been developed for permitting vertical or horizontal positional adjustment of chair arms, most of these mechanisms involve a large number of parts which result in undesired structural complexity and spatial requirements, and as such impair the desired aesthetics of the arm arrangement.
More specifically, chair arms associated with chairs of the type used in offices and the like frequently employ a motion adjustment mechanism which enables the height of the chair arm to be adjusted. In recent years it has also been a more standard practice to mount the arm rest for horizontal lateral movement, typically horizontal pivoting movement, to enable the chair arm to be oriented in different use positions. Such use positions typically include a normal center position as well as positions where the arm rest angles either outwardly or inwardly relative to the center position. These mechanisms have frequently employed spring-urged detents for holding the chair arm in the selected position, but such mechanisms have also permitted inadvertent pivoting of the arm rest when such movement is not desired inasmuch as the force required to release the detent is necessarily of small magnitude.
To overcome the undesired accidental movement associated with detent type mechanisms, other chair arms have utilized what is known as a xe2x80x9clift-and-lockxe2x80x9d mechanism wherein the chair arm must first be lifted to disengage a latch such as a tooth and slot arrangement, following which the chair arm can be horizontally pivoted and then lowered so as to be latched into a different position. While this latter type of mechanism does provide a positive locking of the chair arm in the selected position, nevertheless in some situations the requirement that the arm rest be entirely lifted upwardly results in a structure which is difficult to manipulate.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved chair having a simplified height-adjustable back arrangement associated therewith. The back arrangement, in a preferred embodiment, is defined principally by a back shell provided with support parts, such as sleeves, adjacent opposite sides thereof. The support sleeves are slidably supported on respective uprights which are joined to and project upwardly adjacent opposite sides of the chair seat. A manually-releasable latching mechanism cooperates between each support sleeve and its respective upright whereby a seated occupant, by using right and left hands, can simultaneously release both latching mechanisms and effect vertical slidable displacement of the back shell to adjust the position thereof.
In the improved chair of this invention, as aforesaid, the uprights preferably function to support chair arms thereon adjacent upper ends thereof. The uprights are preferably positioned adjacent but spaced slightly forwardly from rear corners of the chair seat so as to provide desired overall chair aesthetics, and to improve occupant access to the releasable latching mechanisms.
In the improved chair of the present invention, as aforesaid, the chair arms are preferably supported within the uprights by releasable height-adjusting mechanisms which can be easily manually released by the seated occupant, and which permit the height of the individual chair arms to be vertically adjusted relative to the upright. The releasable height-adjusting mechanisms which control the height of the chair arms are confined within the uprights so as to be surrounded not only by the upright but also by the support sleeve associated with the chair shell, thereby providing a construction which is compact, space saving and aesthetically desirable.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a chair, such as an office type chair, having an improved adjustment mechanism associated with and cooperating between the chair arm and the support therefore so as to permit the position of the chair arm to be readily manually adjusted. The mechanism preferably incorporates a simplified height-adjusting mechanism which is confined within the support upright for the chair arm, which mechanism involves minimal structural parts and operational complexity so as to provide a simple and compact operating arrangement. The mechanism preferably includes a release button which can be easily manually released and is positioned directly under the chair arm for ease of operation. The release button couples to an elongate trigger rod which projects vertically interiorly of the upright and, at its lower end, has an integral cam part which cooperates with and effects sideward movement of a latch plunger which is normally spring-urged into latching engagement with one of a series of latching shoulders or steps defined vertically along one side of the upright.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved adjustment mechanism which provides a lift-and-lock function, but which does not require vertical lifting of the entire arm rest. Rather, in the present invention, the mechanism which allows lateral horizontal pivoting of the arm rest does so utilizing a universal-type connection between the arm rest and its support post so that the arm rest can be vertically pivoted upwardly a limited extent so as to disengage the lock, following which the arm rest can be horizontally laterally pivoted into the desired position, following which the arm rest is vertically swung downwardly to reengage the lock. The lift-and-lock function permits angular displacement to occur without affecting or disturbing the height-adjusting mechanism which is coupled therebelow and is disposed within the supportive upright.
Other objects and purposes of the invention, including structural and operational advantages thereof, will be apparent to persons familiar with constructions of this general type upon reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings.